It's About Time Fred Weasley One-Shot
by R.J.North
Summary: Fred One-Short. Please tell me if you want another part.


**As you can see this is a Fred One-Shot. If you'd like me to write another part to it, tell me. Please review and tell me what you think. I hope you like it!  
>~Northie<br>****  
><strong>It's About Time  
>Fred Weasley One Shot<p>

Alex sat in the Gryffindor common room writing on a piece of parchment paper. She had just gotten a brilliant idea for a prank. She scribbled down everything about her idea. Measurements, ingredients, everything. She wasn't going to miss a beat. She had to get everything right. She wanted to make the guys proud of her idea.

The "Guys" were the Weasley Twins. They were her best friends. She had met them their first year at Hogwarts. They had sat together on the train and talked the whole way about pranks. She was quite a prankster herself. They had hit it off right away. The three were great together. They were almost inseparable. Almost as inseparable as Fred and George were with each other.

She finished what she was righting and leaned back on the couch with a smile on her face. She picked up her paper and looked at it, making sure everything was exactly right. As she was doing so, she didn't hear two people enter the common room and walk up behind her. The stole the paper out of her hands and started to look it over.

"Fred!" she protested as she saw the person holding the paper. "That was supposed to be a surprise for you two." She sat back on the couch with a huff. She hated it when they spoiled her surprises for them. It always happened. Just like how they always found their Christmas presents she'd buy them every year. Even though she hid them in different places.

"I'm pleasantly surprised," Fred said. "Aren't you, George? This is impressive work, Alex."

"Impressive indeed," George relied. "How did you come up with this?"

The twins walked around the couch and took a seat. Fred sat next to Alex while George took a seat in a very large, comfy chair. He put his feet up on a foot rest and leaned back, making himself comfortable while still looking at the paper they stole. Fred also leaned back to make himself more comfortable. He placed his arm on the back of the couch behind Alex, like he usually did with her. It was nothing more than a friendly gesture.

"It just popped into my head," she said, shifting so her back was against an arm rest and her feet were on Fred's lap. They were used to sitting like that. At least her feet didn't smell bad. "So, is it really good?"

"Of course," George said.

"We wouldn't have said so if it wasn't," Fred said.

"All right," she said. "You know I don't like liars."

Alex had lived with liars for most of her life. Her mother was a cheating, abusive alcoholic while her father was an abusive, cheating, lying gabbler. She had been abused a lot growing up as a little girl in New York State in the United Stated (she had an American accent). Her aunt took custody of her when she was ten and she went to live in England with her. Everything was better from that moment on.

"We know, Love. We don't lie to you," Fred said, patting her leg comfortingly. The Weasley's, Harry and Hermione were the only ones who really knew of her past. She was glad they knew, but didn't like the whole school knowing about what she had gone through growing up.

"When should we do this?" George asked, handing the paper to Fred.

"I don't know," he replied. "We have a list."

"I know we have a list," Alex said. "Just put it at the bottom. I'm fine with that. It's not like we won't get to it eventually."

"If that's what you want," Fred said. "We can do it sooner if you want."

"I don't mind," she said.

Fred and George started to discuss some new ideas that had while Alex watched the fire burning in the fireplace. She often found herself getting lost in the red, orange and yellow colors of fire. It seemed so warm and welcoming. Sometimes she wondered what it was like to be fire. A strange thought, but she wandered what it was like to have something like a burning passion.

A shiver ran up her spine as she watched the flames dance. She was almost always cold. She made sure to keep a sweeter with her at all times since she could predict that she'd always be cold. She pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees; gently laying her head on them as she continued to watched the flames flicker around.

The red color reminded her of the twins red hair. She loved their families red hair. She wasn't very fond of her brown hair. She also wasn't fond of her changing eye color. Sometimes it would be green, others it would be hazel and others a blue-green. She never knew what color they were going to be. She liked how consistent Fred and George's brown eyes were.

She was very much attracted to brown eyes. She loved how warm and inviting they were. They always seemed so kind and sweet, yet mysterious and playful. She likes Fred's eyes more than George's. They just seemed more chocolaty and warmer than George's. Maybe it was just because she had fallen in love with Fred a long time ago.

Alex was able to tell them apart with ease. She could tell them apart by just sensing who was who. She could also by the way they looked. They may have been very much alike in appearance, but there were very small things that she noticed that they did that were different than the other persons. Then, she knew how they acted. The way they sounded. They way they moved. The way they touched. She had just been with them so much and had gotten to know them so well that she just knew.

She had fallen in love with Fred their second year. She loved his eyes, his hair color. His sweet, goofy grin and mysterious smile. He was the most outgoing, daring, sarcastic twin. She found him to be a little funnier than George. Although, his pranks could be crueler and he was meaner to those he disliked.

They were in their fifth year now. The twins and Alex were all fifteen, going on sixteen. The boys were taller than they had been when they first met and were growing into young men. They were growing more and more troublesome too. Alex was growing into a beautiful woman as well. She had grown a little taller, though she was kind of short. She was shorter than the twins. She had gotten curvier rather than a girlish child's figure. She had also grown in a womanly sense. She was more of a woman now. People seemed to notice that.

Her brown hair covered her face slightly as she shifted positions so she was laying down more. She quickly moved her hair out of her blue eyes and then closed them as her head rested against the arm rest of the couch. She crossed her arms over her chest feeling rather cold. A shiver ran through her body and she pulled her legs up more to her chest to try and contain her body heat.

"Cold Love?" Fred asked when she moved her feet off his lap.

"When aren't I cold?" she retorted shivering again.

"Come here," he told her, grabbing a blanket from a small basket next to the couch they were seated on. He unfolded the blanket as Alex moved next to him. He laid it across both of them and she clutched it in a way that was like for dear life. "Better?"

"Much," she said with a smile. "Thanks."

"Anytime Love," he laughed. Once again, like many times before, he placed his arm on the back side of the couch behind Alex.

Alex must have gotten rather comfortable where she was because before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

Alex laid against something comfortable as she slowly came back to consciousness. She didn't want to move. She liked it where she was. She didn't know what she was laying on, but she liked it. She smiled ever so slightly and sighed comfortably.

"When are you going to tell her?" she heard George's voice echo in her head. She wasn't fully conscious, but she could still hear and comprehend what he was saying. However, she didn't know who he was talking about or what they had to tell them.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she heard Fred say. She could slightly feel a vibration as he spoke. She guessed she was lying on Fred's lap which she liked, but was slightly embarrassed about. She was hoping she wasn't blushing.

"You should really tell her," George pressed.

"What good would it do?" Fred asked. "If I tell her, she'll freak and not want to be friends anymore."

"I wouldn't say that," George admitted. "You don't know how she feels."

Alex sat up slowly, trying not to make herself dizzy. She rubbed her eyes to get the sleep out of them. She looked at Fred and then blushed, knowing she had been sleeping on his lap. She looked at the floor and pulled the blanket tighter around herself. "Sorry about that," she said in a voice a little louder than a whisper. "I'm just really tired."

"No trouble, Love. You need your rest," Fred said, pulling her back to his side so that she could continue to rest. Alex could feel how warm his was as she laid her head against his shoulder. She was hoping they didn't see the bright red blush on her cheeks. "Are you feeling all right, Love?" he asked, concern dripping from his tone.

"I'm fine," she replied. She felt a cool hand place itself on her forehead and blushed even more as she looked up to Fred, who was comparing her temperature to his own.

"You don't have a temperature," he muttered, taking his hand away from her head. "Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

"Yes sir," she replied sleepily.

"Maybe you should go to bed," George suggested.

"What time is it?" she asked, sitting up once more. She wished she hadn't moved though. Fred was a very comfortable pillow. And he was warm. She looked over to the clock to see it was eleven thirty. She stood up from her seat on the couch and laid the blanket on Fred. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Good night," George said.

"Sweet dreams, Love," Fred said.

As she walked up the stairs to the girl's dormitory, she heard the guys laughing about something. She quickly ran into the girl's dorm as her face grew even redder as she started to think about them laughing about her. She slid into bed and didn't sleep well that night.

The next morning Alex got up and felt terrible. She hadn't slept at all that night. She was upset about Fred and George laughing at her. She didn't what them to know she liked Fred. That could ruin their friendship. That was why only Hermione and Ginny knew. And if she had her way, Ginny wouldn't even know.

Ginny was a good friend of Alex's and all, but she didn't want her to slip up and say something to the twins. She also didn't want her to feel uncomfortable with her. If they did start to date, Alex wished, she didn't want Ginny to get uncomfortable. However, Ginny was very glad that she liked him. She thought it would be cool if they dated, got married and were related. They were as close as sisters, after all.

Alex got ready for her day and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast, like usual. She plopped down with Hermione and Ginny, both sitting across from her. She got some toast and an apple. She had orange juice in her cup. She started to eat her food and taking a drink when Ginny asked her a question that almost made her spit out her drink all over the two girls on the other side of the table.

"Did you have a nice nap yesterday?" she asked with a smirk.

Alex coughed as choked on when was in her mouth. She finally got it all down and was about to reply, but was stopped when she was interrupted by greetings from a couple friends of Alex's as they walked by. Both were boys from Ravenclaw by the names Samuel and Ryan. She managed to get out a small hello before she turned her full attention back to the two girls.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she denied. "I fell asleep was all. I didn't mean to fall asleep _there_."

"_Sure_," Ginny laughed while Hermione giggled beside her. "Did you see the way Ryan was looking at you?"

"Who was looking at what now?" a very familiar voice asked as a group of boys sat down at the table. Fred had been the one asking the question as he sat down next to his little sister. George sat next to him on the other side. Harry and Ron sat next to Alex, one of each side of her. They all picked their food as they listened to Ginny explain what she was talking about.

"Ryan Gardener and Samuel Janey just walked by," she said.

"From Ravenclaw?" Harry asked.

"Yeah," Alex said.

"So did you notice or not?" Ginny asked Alex.

"I don't know what you mean," she replied. "He wasn't looking at me any differently than he does any other morning."

"You sure are blind when it comes to seeing when a guy likes you," she said. "He's liked you all year."

"He does?" Alex asked with a curious grin on her face.

Even though she really liked Fred didn't mean she didn't find it flattering when a guy liked her. It was strange. She could never tell when another guy liked her, but she could tell when another guy liked another girl or a girl liked a guy. On more than one occasion they had used Alex's "gift" to prank some people into getting together. They both would like each other. They would just help them along a bit.

"He does?" Fred asked. Everyone looked at him curiously, especially Alex. He just shrugged and said, "I'm just shocked is all."

"Shocked about what?" Alex asked, almost afraid of what he would say. But yet, she was curious all the more. She wanted to know what was so shocking about Ryan liking Alex.

"You know," he said suggestively. "He's a Ravenclaw. They're all really smart and good at school. It strange he'd like Alex. You'd think that he'd go for someone smarter."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked angrily. He had insulted her. What had she done to him to insult her like that. He called her dumb. She was the brightest Gryffindor girl in their year and she was ranked right up there with most of the Ravenclaw people. _Hermione_, the _smartest_, _brightest_ Witch in her year, asked Alex for help on rare occasions.

"Uh oh," Ginny muttered.

"This is what happens when you meddle," Hermione whispered back.

Fred, not really catching Alex's angered tone, continued to explain to her what he meant, not getting that she was almost being rhetorical. Yet, she wasn't at the same time. She really did want to know what he meant by what he said. Did he really think she was stupid?

"You're not the _brightest_ Witch in our year," he said. "You can't tell me you _didn't_ know that." She wasn't the brightest one, but she was ranked right up there with them. Being second or third on that list. Alex clenched her jaw at hearing this. "Snape drops your samples just as much as the rest of us." That was wrong as well. Surprisingly, Snape almost never did that to her. The only times he did do that to her was when Fred and George would distract her and that would mess her up. Her face became red as a tomato. "And you'd think a guy like Ryan, looking the way he does, could get almost any girl he fancied."

Was he calling her _unfit_, not _worthy_ of being liked by him? Was she not smart enough? Was she not pretty enough? Alex didn't know if she was asking that about Fred or for Ryan. Maybe she wasn't good enough for either of them. She already had a low self-esteem problem as it was, this wasn't helping one bit.

Alex didn't like being insulted by one of her best friends. She didn't like being insulted by anyone, really. If the person was joking around, that was one thing, but this was in all seriousness. She couldn't believe Fred was saying this about her. He was the one complimenting her usually.

The slap seemed to eco throughout the Great hall. Alex stood up, almost knocking Harry and Ron out of their seats as she did and stood there with her things hanging in her bag at her shoulder. "You jackass," she said harshly before quickly getting out of the Great Hall.

Alex didn't know where she was going, but she found herself in the second floor girl's lavatory. She dropped her bag on the floor next to the sink and splashed some water in her face, getting the tears that were in her eyes to come out. She was upset about what he said. She was mad and hurt. She was so angry.

How dare he! He didn't have the right to say things like that to her. Sure, he said it to everyone, but that didn't mean it was right. How could he? He was one of her best friends. He should know she had low self-esteem problems. Didn't he realize he was making her feel even worse about herself.

Maybe she wasn't good enough for Ryan. Maybe she wasn't good enough for Fred either. Maybe she wasn't pretty enough? Or maybe she wasn't smart enough. Maybe she wasn't as smart as Professor McGonagall said she was. Maybe it was just luck that Snape didn't drop her potions. Maybe she wasn't good enough to be there.

Alex fell to her knees, gripping the edge of the sink, sobbing. She didn't like breaking down like that. But nobody when into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. If Myrtle saw her, she may as well teased her of just watched her. She would either let her be and sob to herself or tease her to make her worse. She didn't care about that at the moment. What bothered her most was that her best friend was the one who made her feel like that.

"Oh dear," she hear Myrtle say.

Alex ignored the ghost and continued to sob. Maybe her parents were right. Maybe she wasn't good for anything. Maybe all her purpose in that world was for people to trample over and make themselves feel better. She was a punching bag. That was what her parents used her for. Maybe the insults they told her were all true. Maybe everything Fred had said to her were all true.

Alex didn't know how long she was in there, but it could have been all day. She had stopped crying a little while after, but she didn't move from the floor. She sat there, with her back against the base of the sink. She sat there starring at the floor. She knew she was missing classes, but she didn't care. She didn't seem to be caring about anything.

Myrtle came back a little while later followed by Nearly Headless Nick. Why she went to get him, she didn't know. He kneeled down next to Alex and made her looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"What happened?" he asked.

Alex took in a shaky breath and sighed saying, "It's nothing."

"By the way she was balling her eyes out, it didn't seem like nothing," Myrtle said.

"Thank you, Myrtle. I can take it from here," Nick said. Myrtle turned around with a huff and flew into her toilet, splashing water onto the floor. Nick didn't take his eyes off of the mortal girl on the floor before him. "Now tell me what's wrong, child."

"It's Fred," she muttered.

"I heard you hit his reasonably hard this morning at breakfast," he said. "What was that all about?"

Alex didn't know why, but she spilled everything. She told him her past. Her parents and why she was in England now. She told him about her feelings for Fred. She told him about the night before. She told him about her conversation with Hermione and Ginny that morning. About Ryan and Sam and what the Fred said about her.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it like that," Nick said, getting Alex to stand up with her bag. "He seems to care for you."

"I thought that too," she said, looking up at him.

"You should go back to the dormitory," he said. "I'll inform your Professors that you went to get rest, feeling rather under the weather."

"Thank you," she replied. With that, she headed out of the bathroom and started up to Gryffindor Tower. However, she was stopped by Professor McGonagall.

"Ms Carter," she called. "I need you to come with me."

"I'm sorry for not-," she began to apologize for not being in class, but was stopped.

"Sir Nicolas informed me of the circumstances," she said. "This is urgent. Bad news I'm afraid. The Headmaster wants to see you."

Alex was afraid she was going to be in trouble for what she did at breakfast. She did feel bad about hitting him, but he did deserve it. It hadn't been right for her to do that. She usually wasn't one for violence, but she lost it and hit him anyways. Even though she was mad, she was going to apologize for that later. She had to cool off and not be as mad at him before she could do it though.

They made their way up the staircase behind the statue up to Dumbledore's office. She was placed down in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. He looked up from the paperwork on his desk. Alex was looking at the Phoenix perched next to the desk. Alex thought he was beautiful. They were magnificent creatures.

"Ms Carter," Dumbledore said, getting her attention. "I'm afraid I have some very depressing news."

"What is it?" she asked, thinking that this day couldn't get any worse.

"You're aunt passed away last night," he finally said. "I'm afraid you have to move back in with your parents in America."

"No," she said. "I can't."

"I'm afraid you have no other chose," McGonagall said. "You have no living relatives that can take you in over here."

Alex just sat there. Sure, she was very upset about the passing of her beloved aunt, but she was even more afraid of going back to live with her parents. She would surely be beaten for leaving. They'd beat her more than they used too. She knew that for sure.

"Can't we find anyone?" she asked.

"We'll continue to try and find somewhere for you to go, but until we do you have to go back," McGonagall said. "You must pack up your things effective immediately."

Alex sat there for a minute just staring at her hands. "Yes ma'am," she finally said, standing up from her seat and walking to the door with her bag over her shoulder. She went down the stairs and into the hall. Students were going back to their house common rooms to do their homework and to hang out. Alex on the other hand was going to pack up her things and leave. She wasn't happy with that thought.

She finally got up to the tower and walked into the common room after giving the password to the portrait to let her in. Without looking at the people she knew were sitting there in the common room, being Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Ron, George and Fred, she lazily walked up the stair case and into the girl's dorm room. She went straight for her bed and trunk. She started to throw her things in as tears started to make their way down her cheeks. This time she was crying over the death of her aunt.

Her aunt was like the mother that her real mother wasn't. She was her friend. She took care of her instead of beating her. She listened to her instead of ignoring her. She talked and joked with her instead of screaming at her. She was the only real family member she had. Now she was alone with people that were her "_parents_."

Sure, she considered her friends part of her family, but they weren't actually related to her, so it didn't really count. And one of her closest, best friends probably hated her guts. Maybe even her other close friend because it was his twin brother. She messed things up big time. She just hoped that one day they may be able to make up. She would feel horrible if they never did. It was her fault, in a way.

The door of the dorm room opened and Hermione and Ginny stood there looking at Alex confused. When they realized that she was packing her things to go, they assumed things and rushed over to Alex to stop her. Ginny started to take her things back out of the trunk while Hermione tried to stop Alex trying to stop Ginny. They didn't know they reason she was doing it. She didn't have a chose.

"Just because you two love birds got into a fight doesn't mean you have to leave," Ginny said. "You can't run away from your problems."

"I'm not running away from my problems," Alex said. _I'm getting myself into more trouble. _

"You can't just pack up and leave in the middle of the school year!" Hermione yelled.

"I don't have a chose!" Alex defended. They weren't letting her explain.

"Yes you do!" Ginny yelled back. "Just go talk to Fred. You can work things out. You can come to an understanding!"

"I plan on doing that!" she yelled.

"Then what are you doing?" both girls asked yelling.

"My aunt died," she cried. "I don't have anyone to stay with here so they're making me go back to New York to live with my parents until they can find someone for me to stay with. If I didn't have to leave then I wouldn't, but I have to. I have no chose!"

Ginny and Hermione both looked at the crying girl, to one another and then back to Alex. "Oh Alex," Hermione said, pulling Alex into a hug. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"I'm sorry we assumed you were leaving because of Fred," Ginny said, joining in on the hug.

"It's okay," she said, pulling back. "I just hope that they find someone fast so I don't have to stay with my parents for long."

"Would you like us to help you pack?" Hermione asked.

"That would be great," she said with a small smile. "Thank you."

It took longer for the three of them to repack the things than it originally took Alex to put them in there. They were all stalling to spend more time with one another before Alex had to leave. It was sad. They didn't want Alex to go and she didn't want to leave. It was hard to move across the world to live with your abusive parents. It wasn't something she would wish upon anyone. Not even Draco Malfoy.

Hermione and Alex carried down her trunk. Ginny had gone down to dinner, already saying her good-bye's to Alex. She also went to tell the guys that Alex was leaving. They had gone to dinner and didn't know so Ginny was the messenger. Alex just wished they made their way there before she had to leave. Alex sat down on the couch that she had been on the night before and Hermione sat down next to her.

Her stomach growled, making Alex giggle. "Why don't you go get something to eat?"

She looked at her unsure of what to do. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I can stay if you'd like."

"Don't starve yourself on my behalf," she said.

Hermione left after giving her a hug. Alex laid down on the couch and watched the fire flicker. She loved to watch the ambers glow and the flames dance. It reminded her of the night before. She remembered the fiery red hair of the Weasley's. Of the person she had fallen in love with years before. She smiled remembering all of the great times they had together over the years. She frowned remembering the fight they had that morning.

The portrait door opened and two pairs of footsteps ran into the room. Alex didn't bother sitting up until she heard who it was. It was the twins. Fred and George huffed, out of breath. Alex didn't know why. Maybe they had run all the way to the tower. Running up all of those stairs really was a work out. Alex did it when she needed to keep in shape.

"She's gone," Fred said weakly.

Alex sat up to see Fred facing the opposite direction she was in, not knowing she was there on the couch. George stood across from him. He saw Alex and was about to tell Fred, but Fred continued to ramble on.

"She's gone and I didn't get to apologize," he said.

_He wanted to apologize?_ She asked herself.

"I was such a prat," he continued. "I said all of those things that I didn't mean and now she's gone. She must think she's really worthless like I made her out to be! I was jealous and lost it. Thinking of her being with that Ravenclaw just got to me. I made her feel horrible. I could see it on her face and I just kept going and saying those things. What is wrong with me?"

"She's-," George started to say, but was interrupted.

"Now she must hate me. And I won't get to tell her how I feel! You were right, George, I should have told her yesterday."

_Told me what?_ She asked herself.

George got a playful gleam in his eyes and crossed his arms. "And what is it, exactly, that you feel?" he asked with a smirk.

"I'm told you a million times, George. I love her! I've loved her for years. You know that! And now she's gone. There's no chance that we can be together. She's in America with her parents that are most likely beating her! I can't do anything about that! I can't protect her like I always to. Like I have to. I have to keep her safe and happy, George, and now I can't do that."

"Fred," George said. "Turn around."

Fred looked at him confused and slowly turned around to see Alex sitting there, wide eyes on the couch. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Fred, the man she had fallen in love with years before, was in love with her. He had been jealous of the smart, hot Ravenclaw who fancied her. He hadn't meant what he said about her. He thought the complete opposite of that.

Fred's eyes widened and his face grew red. He looked down at his feet and rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed. Alex got up from her spot on the couch and walked over to Fred. She made him look up at him. His brown eyes looked into her eyes for forgiveness. His red hair falling in his sad face.

"I love you too," she simply said with a warm smile on her face.

His eyes widened. A smile broke out on his face. He pulled her close. He lifted her up, wrapping his arms around her so it was almost like she was sitting on his arms. She looked down at him as he looked up at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck. She moved one had to his head to run through his hairs. He seemed to like that. That was when she shocked him even more.

Alex was a shyer girl than the boys were. Usually, she was more reserved with people other than her close friends. She had a lot of friends, but didn't tell all of them her life story. She also didn't make it a habit of showing affection in front of people. She hugged her friend when it was just them and her, but other than that she didn't really do that.

Alex kissed Fred right on the lips. The kiss was rather eager. It was like both of them needed the other. Their lips molded together. The seemed like they had been made for one another. The kiss was passionate and rough, surprising Fred even more. She was more of a gentle girl. This side of her he liked.

Fred set her down on the ground and broke the kiss. She smiled up at him as he smiled down at her. He leaned in and kissed her once more, this one less needy, softer and sweeter than the first kiss they had shared. One of his hands cupped her cheek while the other was placed on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. Alex's hands were rested on his strong chest.

They pulled apart when George cleared his throat. He motioned for them to look over at the door. Ginny stood there trying not to squeal with Harry and Hermione. Both smiling at the sight. Ron looked rather embarrassed by their little show.

They were pushed out of the way by Professor McGonagall. She looked at Fred and Alex in front of her. Alex and Fred looked from her to one another and pulled apart, but still close to one another. Fred holding onto her hand and her gripping it back nervously. She didn't want to go and everyone around her knew that. They didn't want to her go either.

"Are you all backed?" she asked a little sadly. It seemed she didn't want her to go either.

"Yes ma'am," she said.

"Come here then," she said, walking over to Alex's trunk next to the couch.

Alex looked at everyone giving them silent goodbyes. She started to walk over to her Professor, but was stopped when Fred grabbed her hand, spun her around and hugged her one last time. She wrapped her arms around him one last time. She pulled back, looking into his warm, sad looking brown eyes.

"It's a rather long way to owl," he said.

"Neither one of our birds would be able to make that distance," she added.

"Will you wait for me?" he asked so only she could hear.

"I'll be back before you know it. One way or another," she said.

"I'll be waiting," he said.

"As will I," she said.

Alex backed away from Fred. She took one last look at Fred as she walked out of the common room with McGonagall. They carried her thing to the Dumbledore's office so she could use flue powder to get to her parents place.

As they went up the stair to the office McGonagall asked, "You and Weasley?" Alex smiled of that thought, giving her an answer. "It's about time."


End file.
